Planning Commission

Dale Coulam stated that Commissioner Mike Scott sent an outline for discussion items for density bonus and that is where we ended our discussion last meeting and he adds to it more questions and his opinions about a few things. We have determined for density bonus we would only apply that to a Subdivision Enhancement Overlay and do away with the Planned Development Overlay. We have never had a single application for PD since 2005 since it was put into place. It is not being used, so what we propose it to broaden the scope of the Subdivision Enhancement Overlay a bit and take it to RE-37 and down to R-1-10, or maybe R-1-7.5 as a possibility. That was one concept to simplify getting a density bonus. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated yes, that is how we have been doing it. Commissioner Adel Murphy stated that is what we have been doing in application. Dale Coulam stated yes we would just formalize it. We would also still have lot averaging but that does not necessarily lead to a density bonus. Under Subdivision Enhancement Overlay you had to give up at least 10% of improved open space and for every percent additional open space you got an additional percent up to 10% density bonus. We have two other categories that are pretty vague. Consistency in design lists off several examples, but they are all very subjective. For that element, you could get an additional 5%. Convenience of layout, variety of lot sizes, and unique subdivision features, such as an entrance feature. This is vague as well, and you could get up to a 10% additional density bonus. Commissioner Bryan Pack inquired if that means there is a possibility of 25% density bonus. Dale Coulam stated yes. 10% was mathematical and 15% is subjective. With single story being so important, he would have thought we would have those percentages flipped. Commissioner Mike Scott points out in his notes that a lot of design requirements are already in our ordinance so why give a density bonus for it? His statement is that if we give a density bonus it needs to benefit the broader community, not the subdivision itself. We want to make these so they are administrative in nature because the underlying zone establishes the base density. That is a legislative decision deciding what base density zoning is. Allowing a bonus to the density is administrative, saying if we add 10% open space they get 10% more density and that is clearly a check-the-box. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated on the legislative decision, when someone is asking for RE-20 they ask up, and then using both systems, ask for bonuses to get what they want. Commissioner Bryan Pack inquired are we willing to do that in exchange for single story? Commissioner Lance Anderson stated as a developer he knows where the City will land so he will ask for RE-37 knowing they will get RE-25 where he wants it to be. We need to think it through, so they don't use the system to get a higher density with an overlay to gain more density. Commissioner Bryan Pack inquired if the Subdivision Enhancement Overlay is still a legislative decision? Dale Coulam stated the overlay is to be approved with the subdivision approval, an administrative decision. Mike Rodriguez stated that if it is clearly stated criteria that they get something for providing something, they get credit for those items they provide. Commissioner Bryan Pack stated that the staff report says that we do not make an opinion, but could we calculate what the density could be on our reports? Commissioner Lance Anderson stated because we don't want to allow planting trees on the roof to create open space. Commissioner Adel Murphy stated we have been getting these Subdivision Enhancement Overlays with a lot that they give up to the City and that is not the real reason why we want to give density bonuses. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated create a benefit to the broader community. 400 West subdivision where the setbacks are wider nicer. Dale Coulam stated on a standard subdivision you would be allowed to put a gabled roof on there, so do we give a density bonus for hip roof and as a separate item, a pitched roof with a pitch of 3/12 or less? Do we lower the height requirement if it is hip roof and make that an extra bonus? A flat roof could be 18 and hip is 20 feet and those are doable with those type of roofs. Mike Rodriguez stated that 20 ft maximum height on a hipped roof. A lower pitched roof would allow the height to come down. Dale Coulam stated we could accomplish it with single story with a separate bonus. Commissioner Adel Murphy and Commissioner Lance Anderson stated that sounds reasonable. Dale Coulam stated then something to control views and height. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated Desert Rose looks nice as an example. That is criteria we could put down. Dale Coulam stated then height is 18 ft or 20 ft then split them out. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated he thinks we make three levels: hip, gable or flat. Dale Coulam stated that Commissioner Mike Scott had noted that single story in definition does not include a bonus room. Do you all agree? Commissioner Lance Anderson stated yes. The goal is to allow them to have more lots but keep it subtle for our community. Dale Coulam stated that Commissioner Mike Scott noted that southwestern and mediterranean style, those are all in our design requirements to a great degree. We see deviation from that architecture from time to time but earth tones are in our requirements. There is a color spectrum they have to meet. If they do a development agreement usually spells out earth tone colors. Mike Rodriguez stated when people come in and ask if they can paint a bright color, and we tell them earth tones. Dale Coulam stated the next one is energy efficient materials. There is a certification you can be given to meet a certain level then they could qualify for a density bonus. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated he doesn't know how that relates to aesthetics. That is just being a good neighbor. Commissioner Bryan Pack stated but it is an incentive for smart design. We are not mandating it. His biggest concern is he wouldn't know how to measure it or enforce it. They can sell those lots and not do it, so maybe it becomes a part of the development agreement. Dale Coulam stated that a similar one is water efficiency. We live in a drought area in the desert. If we can minimize water usage, we would have to require high tech monitoring systems be put into place in order to get that density bonus. Otherwise they follow the water restrictions that we impose to water specific hours, as an example. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated he has put solar on his house and likes his nine dollar bill every month, but for the community, he doesn't want the burden to be put on the City to manage it. Commissioner Adel Murphy stated she doesn't know what the parameters would be. If we did want to give it a density bonus, it would be pretty small. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated roofers say the roof color needs to be white. Window packages are most important, more so than the roof. We can encourage it, but he does not know how we enforce it. Dale Coulam stated that we could do possible density bonuses for a larger lot than required by the minimum. Commissioner Mike Scott had suggested doing that as a percentage. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated years ago he would have agreed with that, but now sitting here at the meetings, that does not benefit the broader community. Now we are inside the subdivision again. Dale Coulam stated larger lots are larger houses. On Altura, they didn't get the zoning they requested; they received a lower density, which resulted in larger houses, not more open space. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated in Phoenix they do web subdivisions and they do larger and smaller subdivisions to stagger larger lots, then smaller and clustering. Commissioner Adel Murphy stated other than this meetings' topic that was just discussed, we have no projects that big yet. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated we do that when we allow clustering. If there is a 10-acre parcel put larger lots on the outer edges. Put a question on that one. Dale Coulam stated entrance feature is for the subdivision not the community. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated that whatever we can do to protect open space and viewsheds is what we should do. We always pushed for open space, then people starting using them in weird ways, and it didn't benefit the community. Commissioner Adel Murphy stated item 12B we are saying make lots larger, but this says maybe have bigger setbacks against an adjoining subdivision. That is a lot of what we face in these meetings-how close is my neighbor. Dale Coulam stated since it is easily measured we could do it as a footage or a percentage. Grade is an important factor, but too complex for a density bonus and would be in construction and engineering that comes later in the process. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated that under features and earth tones it is understood already so they don't get that as a bonus. Dale Coulam stated that is correct. Just make it a requirement city-wide. He stated on rural they talked about it being its own overlay or do it as a density bonus with a Subdivision Enhancement Overlay. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated on the Transportation Plan there is a rural cross section but with mentality and needs changing he wants to propose that following the rural cross section line to do an overlay like we have in the old township and keep a height limit out there on the buildings, and follow that ridgeline and cross section and put in an overlay. There is some high density out there that could have 35 ft buildings out there. Commissioner Bryan Pack stated that it seems like it should be a separate discussion from the density bonus and do it as a whole separate overlay. The point of a rural feel is to make it less dense, so it doesn't really make sense in this discussion. Commissioner Lance Anderson stated when we move the ordinance ahead it needs to be addressed, but he would agree with Commissioner Bryan Pack. Commissioner Bryan Pack stated he wants to consider that more.

Commissioner Adel Murphy	AYE
Commissioner Bryan Pack	AYE
Commissioner Lance Anderson	AYE